10 Questions to Reflect on Your Year in Dramas 2015

It’s that time of year again, the time when I look back and reflect on the year that is coming to a close. Reflecting on the past year puts things into perspective and helps me be more grateful for what has come to pass. I’ve written up 10 questions to review this year in dramas:

The Questions

How many dramas did you watch this year? Dropped? Completed?

If you had to describe your year in dramas with three words, what would they be?

What drama was the most memorable for you? Why?

What was your favorite drama theme song this year?

What was your favorite drama quote?

What was your favorite drama picture (still, screenshot, etc.)?

What was the most important lesson you learned from 2015 dramas?

How has your taste in dramas changed or stayed the same in 2015?

What drama-watching habits can you improve on in this coming year?

What are you thankful for this year?

My Answers

1) How many dramas did you watch this year? Dropped? Completed? Incomplete?

Looking back on this year, I realize that I only finished one jdrama. I dropped all the rest or left a couple dramas incomplete. I felt that most of the jdramas this year either did not appeal to me or gradually lost my interest as I continued watching them. I have no regrets though, because the one jdrama that I chose to stick with was one of my favorite dramas of the year. My c-drama watching record is better this year though…and it’s no surprise that all the c-dramas I watched are period ones. Heh.

2) If you had to describe your year in dramas with three words, what would they be?

Selective–I have gotten more and more selective throughout these past couple years. If a drama isn’t working out for me, I’ll drop it right then and there.

Change–I had a lot of changes in my drama hobby this year as I started self-hosting my blog, went on hiatus, and worked on moderating my drama-watching.

Relaxing–Although I had some stressful times in my drama-ing this year, as a whole, dramas & blogging remain a tool of relaxation and creativity.

3) What 2015 drama was the most memorable for you? Why?

Fuben na Benriya was the most memorable 2015 drama for me, even though other dramas that I wrote about such as Da Mo Yao and Nirvana in Fire were arguably more popular and well-received. The thing about Fuben na Benriya is that it’s so bizarre, weird and just downright hilarious that it will forever have a fond place in my memory.

4) What was your favorite drama theme song this year?

5) What was your favorite drama quote?

“The story of his own doesn’t exist. He should make a story with a lot of people. And nobody knows the ending. That’s why real life is the best story.”

-Batsu-san; Fuben na Benriya

This quote is from Fuben na Benriya, the drama I mentioned in question #3. I suppose the quote speaks for itself. Is a story ever 100% yours? Is your own life full of only your own experiences? Life is shared, as are stories and experiences. Unpredictability is often regarded with fear and utter dread. Yet this drama shows that spontaneity and uncertainty are a part of the beauty of life. Unpredictability can be fun too, not just full of fear and anxiety.

6) What was your favorite drama picture (still, screenshot, etc.)?

I couldn’t narrow it down to one favorite picture, so instead I put A LOT of favorite stills/screenshots, HEHE:

Legend of Miyue

Da Mo Yao

Da Mo Yao

Nirvana in Fire

Nirvana in Fire

Fuben na Benriya

Hua Xu Yin

7) What was the most important lesson you learned from 2015 dramas?

I never went on a hiatus until this year. I reached a point when I was just too busy to manage with blogging, watching dramas, and doing other drama stuff along with taking care of myself. I was over-committed which only resulted in stress. So I finally took the plunge and declared hiatus–twice. I knew that it was the best decision to make for myself; denying it and just blindly going at a fast pace would do me no good. For me the benefit was not that I immediately abstained from dramas or blogging–which some people on hiatus do–but that I took a step back. I distanced myself so that I could have the space I needed in my life to relax and focus on other things.

The lesson I got out of this experience: When you’re overwhelmed, over-committed or overly stressed, the first step to take is to just take a step back. If you already know the best decision you can make for YOU, then do it. Self-care is important, and sometimes watching dramas is not self-care.

8) How has your taste in dramas changed or stayed the same in 2015?

Overall I feel that my taste in dramas has somewhat remained the same: I still enjoy period c-dramas and am always on the search for a quirky feel-good slice-of-life j-drama. As for changes in my taste, I watched a comedy (Fuben na Benriya) which I don’t normally do, and I even delved into a political c-drama even though I generally don’t dig period politics. I have stayed away from rom-coms as of late, just not in the mood for them.

9) What drama-watching habits can you improve on in this coming year?

I have a whole list of drama-related habits that I can improve on. I realized this when I started my Drama Detox series (which, by the way, I am still planning on continuing). One issue I’d like to work on in this coming year is procrastination. I want to stop using dramas as a means of procrastination!

10) What are you thankful for this year?

I’m thankful for a lot of things, but I will keep this drama-related:

I’m thankful that I was able to self-host my blog this year.

I’m thankful for all my readers and supporters.

I’m thankful that I got to know some new drama bloggers this year.

I’m thankful that I watched some great dramas.

I’m thankful that I have gotten this far to complete this year of blogging.

I’m thankful for the Internet.

I’m thankful that more Chinese dramas have been subbed this year.

That’s it for my review of my year in dramas, 2015. I hope these questions gave you some interesting topics to think about. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or write your own answers on your blog. 🙂

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I'm heisui, an Asian drama blogger and the creator of My Drama Tea. I love stories and writing, so I watch dramas and blog. I especially have a penchant for Japanese and Chinese dramas, and those hidden gems that are waiting to be discovered. Oh, and I'm Legend of Zhen Huan-obsessed!

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Heisui, I’ve been a long time follower of your blog, and I drop by on and off (a kind of sporadic visiting pattern akin to my that of my drama watching). Every time I come back I’m surprised that your blog is still around! Longevity is certainly something to be proud of in the blogging world. I’m glad that your hiatus has allowed you so that you can do what’s best for you at any given moment. These are awesome questions and I can’t wait to do a bit of reflecting too! Thank you for your personable writing style, and well, for sticking around! Have a good Christmas holiday 🙂 (And on a side note, I dropped Ouroboros and Otona Joshi too! I had such expectations for Ouroboros and the show quickly fell short of them…)

Aw thanks! Yes, I’m surprised I lasted this long too. I didn’t imagine my blog would make it ’til today when I first started it. Happy holidays! 🙂 I was also looking forward to Ouroboros a lot, too bad it didn’t live up to all the hype.

I’m terrible at trying to get through dramas tbh. This year I only attempted to watch maybe 5 dramas. I couldn’t get through Hua Xu Yin, Empress of China, Unfortunate Boyfriend (kdrama), Da Mo Yao. I completely forgot about the Zhen Huan US version. I’m doing better with old American comedies. My Chinese friend recommended me to watch a Chinese comedy called Love House or something like that.

Loved your post, it got me thinking and trying to remember what I watched this year, omo I can’t remember the KDramas from the first half of 2015 !
I drop by here every now and then to see if you have any new posts or new dramas to recommend since I am a newbie to CDramas,
Managed to answer a few, not all of your 10 questions, XD

1. How many dramas did you watch this year? Dropped? Completed?
I can’t remember how many dramas I’ve watched this year but I dropped quite a few KDramas until my drama buddy got me to watch Cruel Romance in May and from then on I was hooked to C Dramas
There are C Dramas I dropped too while I start venturing to find out what type of drama genre I prefer. I prefer period dramas, rather than modern day ones

2. If you had to describe your year in dramas with three words, what would they be?
Pretty much similar to you, I am now more selective, I dropped dramas just like that if I don’t like or feel anything for it XD
I watch dramas I like and not follow the hype of the majority out there. Did not like BBJX but I liked and enjoyed Hua Xu Yin until the last few episodes anyway, liked Journey of Flower too 

4. What was your favorite drama theme song this year?
I like the OST from Da Mo Yao and Lan Ling Wang but I watch the MV from LLW more often

5. How has your taste in dramas changed or stayed the same in 2015?
After years of KDramas only, I found myself watching more C Dramas in 2015, looks like I will be watching a bit of both from now on 

6. What are you thankful for this year?
I am so thankful for my drama buddy, though we are time zones apart ( 12 hours ) we watch dramas together almost every weekend and this really helps us both to complete some difficult dramas LOL
Oh, and we don’t hesitate to drop dramas we watch together too!

I am thankful for the subbers too 🙂 Though CDramas gets subbed really slow and sometimes not at all

Currently watching The Disguiser, 5 episodes away from the end, Love Yunge from the Desert- I am struggling with this one, no chemistry between the leads and the guys, can’t they take some younger guys? Oh btw, Angelababy? Don’t think she can act IMO

Excitedly waiting for 2016 and Ice Fantasy, the many Legends out there to be subbed! LOL
**Sorry Heisui, I think I overdid it 🙂

I also had trouble recalling what dramas I watched this year when I first tried to think of them. T_T” Even the summer season feels so far away to me now. I’m surprised there hasn’t been much talk about Yunge because there was a lot of hype about it before it started airing. Happy holidays!

Haven’t watched enough HK Dramas this year but I finished Limelight Years. I got five episodes left of Romantic Repertoire. Halfway through Brick Slaves which is pretty good. I’m still finger crossing for an eye catching HK Drama next year. At least watching less new hk dramas help me watch the good old wuxia hk dramas.

My favorite drama quote would be from Limelight Years where “Everyone needs a second chance to transform themselves”.

Planning to watch and recap dramas but not in an obligatory ways.

I’m thankful of knowing more new bloggers. I’m thankful of recapping a new wuxia mainland drama Legend of Qin. Well I’m a huge fan of wuxia but lately there’s been too many fantasy wuxia with cgi which i’m not a huge fan of. The Legend of Qin is bearable for me to watch since it has the wuxia swordfight and not a lot of cgi.

Great quote. There may be a better outlook for HK dramas in the intl community because now Viki is offering more HK dramas (I don’t think they’re new ones though). So they are getting more exposure. Have you watched the original version of Qin’s Moon (the cartoon)?

Happy Holidays Heisui! 🙂 I like your new theme! It’s clean with little touches like when you hover on the previous/next post link, it changes into the image…

I can’t believe it’s the end of the year already, and although it seems like I watched more dramas this year, a lot of them were short ones (less than 10 eps) so maybe I’m a commitment-phobe. But then Nirvana in Fire came into my life and changed everything. It’s so hard dealing with the emptiness right now. argghhh I sound like a drama queen.

Somehow, although the quality of tw dramas seem to have increased in recent times, I just haven’t watched much this year at all.

Thanks Kat, happy holidays to you too! Yes it’s my first theme that has the nice little animations! O: It still misses some things my previous theme had, but oh well. I feel like tw-dramas got a lot more exposure this year due to more of them being licensed on Viki. I too ended up not watching any tw-dramas though.